"We lack the vocabulary and the metaphors for life on a different scale. We're so used to growth that we can't imagine alternatives; at best we embrace the squishy sustainable, it's implied claim that we can keep on as before. So here are my candidates for words that may help us think about the future:
Durable
Sturdy
Stable
Hearty
Robust
These are squat.solid,stout words. They conjure a world where we no longer grow by leaps and bounds, but where we hunker down, where we dig in. They are words that we associate with maturity, not youth; with steadiness, not flash. They aren't exciting, but they are comforting-think husband not boyfriend." -Bill McKibben, Eaarth.
This quote resonates with Lindz and I and what we are doing. Our candle light is not flashy, but comforting. We are hunkering down. In Bill McKibbens' book Eaarth (which we highly recommend), he calls for the need for people to move back to a more simple way of life. We need to cut down to the necessities-get rid of the absurd and the excessive.
Renewable energy is a possible solution to the environmental crisis, but only if we cut down on the overall amount of electricity our way of life demands. So why not light some candles and save the electricity for a more important need? Its day number two and we are doing great, hunkered down!
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